33-year-old attacker linked with a shock move to Newcastle United

While Torres may have suffered from tepid chemistry with Hodgson - not to mention the rudimentary football during his tenure - he had no such problem with the Englishman's predecessor at Liverpool.

And with former Chelsea striker Diego Costa eligible to play in the new year, Torres' time in the Spanish capital could be coming to an end.

So could Rafa be the man to revive Torres' flagging fortunes and help him win back a starting spot at Atletico?

It's said that the World Cup victor has admires in the United States and China, but prefers one last stint in the Premier League before returning to Atletico Madrid, where he intends to retire. There's no reversing the ageing process, and Torres seems to have suffered from the inexorable march of time more than most.

And Barkley's availability has led to a host of leading teams chasing him. While this is a decent start Benitez's side have really struggled for goals, scoring just ten times in 11 games.

Barring a mini-revival at Atletico a couple of years ago, Torres' goal haul has declined season on season for nearly half a decade.

During the 2012/13 campaign, Chelsea named Benitez as their interim manager, following the dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo, with the Spaniard guiding the Blues to the Europa League that season and a top three finish against the backdrop of supporter anger at his appointment.